Saturday, May 3, 2008

Day Trip to Bac Ha

start walking....

You must have surmised at this point that this blog is not going in any particular order. If not, let me preview then by saying that in order to get to Bac Ha, you would most likely be coming from another town, like Sa Pa, for instance. Sa Pa serves as the nexus for many day excursions, such as this one, and others for trekkers, which you'll never hear about from me as climbing is out of the question. We are now in the northwest part of Viet Nam, and this is a gem of a place for rubbing elbows with tribal people. Very much like Thailand, where we did see tribes as we went north of Bangkok, into Chiang Mai, and further north. There are striking similarities between those tribes, owing to the fact that they all are groups split from the original southern Chinese miao tribes.

People usually herd when they travel together...here I am with some newfound friends; I was very surprised to see many young women travelling alone.

Our first encounter with the tribes of Viet Nam happened during our visit to Ha Noi a year earlier, as I had a check mark next to the Museum of Ethnology. Had we known what was in store for us there, we would have planned for an entire day at the Museum, rather than a couple of hours. The collection they have put together is nothing short of amazing, and on the second floor, we began to learn about the tribes, their habitats, their origins, and their vibrant colored garbs. I think we decided at the moment, subconsciously, that a trip to the north had to be on the agenda at some point.You'd be amazed to see how many people they can load in this little bus

We'll stick to the people of Bac Ha and their little corner of the world for now. From Sa Pa, if you are going on a "guided" tour, which really means someone who knows how to get there is driving, and you have a mini-bus filled beyond capacity making its way. Not all minibuses are created equal; some are old and in dire need of new shocks, and as the road is mostly unpaved and quite rocky, prepare to be jolted for 100 miles or so. To help with orientation, here's a little map of Northwest Viet Nam; you can then see that from Sa Pa, you are moving northeast.

The day to go to Bac Ha should be Sunday, as this is when everyone gets all dolled up to shop and mingle and gossip etc..Your tour will start early, around 7:00 am or so, as it takes about 3 hours to arrive. The predominant tribe in the area is called the H'mong Flower Tribe, and they are instantly recognized by the head dress which consists of a headscarf tied in the back, with mostly pastel colors, but some with red as well. It can get more complicated with two scarves: one tied to the back, and the other, in a different pattern, tied under the chin. (no it's not that cold there). The scarves are usually woven in a crisscross pattern, and here I'm tempted to call it scotch plaid, but that's too somber. Have a look at the pictures which will save 1000 more words, at least.

these young women wear no headgear whatsoever; perhaps a new generation?

All buses have a specific drop off and pick up point which is smack center of the village. As you get out, you find yourself immersed in long ribbons of winding color in call directions. Everything is sold here, from jewelry, to wovens, to meat (pigs especially), to tobacco and humongous joss sticks, which I had to have. The scent is very Ha Noi, and every time I use one at home, what immediately comes to mind is the ride from NoiBai airport to the city. Also quite interesting to watch were the men who were smoking tobacco (at first we didn't think it was tobacco!) through hollow bamboo reeds. Also, tobacco is sold loose at the market and I suppose it's easier to inhale through the reed than to have to roll it in paper. We must have gone back and forth in the food tobacco area, where a communal lunch seemed to have been taking place. They were all sitting on small plastic chairs and passing bowls around. Nearby the vendors' lunch area were kitchen utensils, pots and pans, home goods not geared to the tourists, but for the inhabitants of the area.

feeding baby with chopsticks!!

For those who stay here for a few days, though for the life of me, I can't imagine why, there are small hotels that will accommodate. Make sure you reserve in advance. Bac Ha is not by any means "gentrified" as is perhaps Sa Pa, but it should remain the way it is, otherwise its charm and genuine character will be lost, like all things that are overexposed. Yes, there are eyesores, but nothing you can't get through with a good pair of hiking shoes. Most everything costs the same, so don't knock yourself out looking for the "bargain" of the day. We made the mistake when we first came to Viet Nam of thinking that going from VDN 30,000 to VDN 15,000 was a big deal. It's not; we're just talking about a US dollar difference.

One thing is noticeable almost instantly: the women are doing all the work. They are carrying heavy loads, selling the goods, feeding the children, and still smiling. It's amazing. It's almost as if the men blended into the background. You'll find them wearing the green army helmets most of the time, riding donkey carriages.

The H'mong Flower tribe is one of about 55 different ethnicities in Viet Nam. Because most of the tribes live in the mountainous north, they were given the name "montagnards" by the French. As with most VietNamese, they made their way here from Southern China for socio-political reasons. They are, for the most part, an agrarian society with skills in textile dyeing, weaving, and fashioning silver jewelry. The more than quarter million VietNamese who inhabit the U.S. are from the H'mong tribes.

The video below, which is about 3 minutes long, spotlights Sunday Market in Bac Ha. Though the color is a bit faded, I have compensated with the pictures that we have taken which show the vividness and joy of the clothing and people.

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I chose to write about Viet Nam as I felt an unusual and uncharacteristic longing for this country, though I had no attachement to it, nor any of its inhabitants. The longing turned into reality a couple of years ago, and as a result became even more pronounced, - prompting a second visit. As I reflect, and immerse myself in the memories of these visits, I am aware that the similarities between Viet Nam and Egypt are not coincidental. Both countries were heavily influenced by French presence, and to this day, that presence is felt in the architecture, the infrastructure, and the cuisine of both countries. But so much more in Viet Nam that in Egypt, as the latter wishes to eradicate any ties to its non-arabic past.EMAIL ME

More than 500 artisans, artists and athletics from Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Phu Yen and Khanh Hoa provinces are attending the Vietnam Coastal Village Festival which opened in the south-central province of Ninh Thuan on August 2.(Detail)

The Lang Co Festival 2011 – the World Beautiful Bay will be held in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue on July 9-10 to promote tourism and encourage investment in the Lang Co-Chan May economic zone.(Detail)

Hoi An ancient city People’s Committee will coordinate with the Japanese Embassy in Vietnam and the Japan Centre for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam to organize the 9th Vietnam-Japan cultural exchange on August 21st and 22nd.(Detail)

The Culture, Sports and Tourism Festival of Vietnam’s ethnic groups in the Central Coastal and Highland region with the theme “Sea and Island Tourism” will be held in Phu Yen Province by Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Phu Yen Provincial People's Committee from July 1st to 9th 2011. (Detail)

The Quang Binh Culture and Tourism Week 2011 with many plentiful and diversified activities will take place from June 5 to 11, 2011 in Quang Binh Province. This is the first event held to welcome the new tourism season in Quang Binh.(Detail)

International visitors to Vietnam in November estimated 387,871 arrivals. Totally, international visitors in 11 months reached 3,400,088 arrivals, 12.3% lower than those in the same period of year 2008. (Detail)

Getting married is an important event in a Vietnamese’s life. The procedure of the ancient wedding ceremony was very complicated. Current wedding ceremony procedures include the following steps: the search for a husband or wife, the proposal, the registration, and finally the wedding.(Detail)

The Quiet American

The Lover (L'amant)

QUICK TIPS FOR FIRST TIME VISITORS

Vietnam is still traditional despite its giant leaps forward. Please try to observe the following:

· Leave the cut-offs at home; dress modestly, and women should avoid plunging necklines.· Don’t touch anyone on the head, children included.· Don’t do anything with your left hand, which is considered dirty (lefties, I have no advice for you). · Don’t give white flowers; any other color is okay.· If you’re going out to dinner, communal dishes are shared by all.· When eating, don’t rest your chopsticks on top of the bowl, but rather to the side.· Don’t cross your legs when sitting on a chair.· Don’t point (I have this terrible habit!!).· If you wear a hat, remove it for elderly, monks, and ladies.· Don’t tell people you are not married (if you are single, they will pity you; if you are living together, talk about your children).· Don’t give children money, sweets, clothes, or any medicine.· Appropriate gifts are pictures: you, your family, your country, the community; I had some fridge magnets with New York and the U.S. flag, colored markers that delighted the kids. Best Way To Get Around:Take cabs everywhere; they are inexpensive, fast, and can get you to most destinations for under US$5 unless you’re going out of town.

If you are a very experienced motorbike rider, you may want to give it a try, but do keep in mind you are taking your life in your hands, literally.

People in the imperial capital of Hue are very good at cooking so they have many recipes to unique and delicious dishes using salt with cereals, vegetables, meat and fish. One of these delicacies is rice served with salt. There are up to a dozen kinds of salt, such as muoi tieu (pepper salt), muoi vung (sesame salt), muoi sa (lemongrass salt), muoi rieng (galingale salt), muoi tom (shrimp salt) and muoi thit heo (pork salt). The dish is imbued with the culinary art of Hue and is a favourite of both the poor and the rich.
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Hue rice vermicelli soup is a popular dish both in the north and the south of Vietnam. The dish has a typical sweet taste of mam ruoc (a special shrimp paste in the south), the aroma of lemongrass and the peppery flavour of stewed dried chilli. Rice vermicelli threads used for the dish must be white, soft and big.
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Hanoi is famous for its culinary arts. Visiting Hanoi, people have a chance to enjoy hundreds of delicacies and snacks. For instance, there are dozens of dishes served with vermicelli. These delectable dishes include Bun thang (vermicelli soup with chicken, egg and pork), Bun moc (vermicelli soup with meat balls, Bun rieu (crab noodle soup) and Bun ca (fish noodle soup). It is impossible not to mention most people’s favorite, Bun cha kep que tre (vermicelli with pork grilled over charcoal).
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When speaking about this dish, people think of the greasy flavour of eel, the light, sour taste of thickened rice vinegar and the typical salty taste of shrimp paste. This dish is best served with rice or rice vermicelli in cold weather.
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Tet (Lunar New Year Holidays) is a special occasion for family res and enjoying traditional delicious dishes, such as lean pork pie, Banh chung (square glutinous rice cake) and dried bamboo shoot soup, an indispensable dish during the feast for Tet of people in northern Vietnam. The dish shows the culinary cultural features of Vietnamese people who often make dishes from materials found in the forests and mountainous areas.
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